Staff Attorney — Immigrant Students’ Rights Project

Position description

Overview

Advocates for Children of New York, Inc. (AFC) seeks a staff attorney to obtain high quality, appropriate educational services for underserved immigrant families. The attorney will primarily serve immigrant families of children with special needs, including representation at special education administrative hearings as well as participation in school meetings and school visits. The attorney will also assist immigrant families with education-related issues including school enrollment, bilingual programs, and bullying. The attorney will provide know-your-rights trainings to families, community organizations and service providers. The attorney may also support ongoing policy advocacy efforts focusing on English Language Learners, immigrant students, and language access in schools.

AFC is a not-for-profit organization that strives to ensure a high-quality education for New York students who face barriers to academic success, focusing on students from low-income backgrounds. AFC works on behalf of children and youth who are at greatest risk of academic failure due to poverty, race, ethnicity, disability, homelessness, immigration status/limited English proficiency, or involvement in the child welfare or juvenile justice systems. We use uniquely integrated strategies to advance systemic reform, empower families and communities, and advocate for the educational rights of individual students.

Qualifications

 Law degree required and admission to the NYS bar preferred;

 1 – 3 years of legal experience preferred;

 Spanish, Arabic or Mandarin language fluency strongly preferred;

 Demonstrated commitment to AFC’s mission;

 Excellent oral and written communication skills;

 Experience working with immigrant, low-income and special needs communities, especially an understanding of the cultural issues that often accompany language barriers;

Application instructions

Send an email with “ISRP Attorney” in the subject line with a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and contact information for three references to [email protected]. Candidates should highlight any personal or professional experience that demonstrates their connection to the populations that AFC serves. Only candidates being scheduled for interviews will be contacted. The position is available immediately, and resumes will be considered on a rolling basis. For more information on AFC, see www.advocatesforchildren.org.

Compensation

The salary depends on experience and includes generous benefits.

AFC is an affirmative action employer that actively seeks to recruit and retain a diverse staff and especially encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or gender expressions and persons of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.